Those who feel they have another country free to go – Buhari (Punch)
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said Nigerians who felt that they had another country outside Nigeria might choose to go. He said he and others who did not have another country would rather stay back and salvage it together. A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, quoted the President as saying this while receiving the All Progressives Congress governorship aspirants and members of the party from the three senatorial zones of Kwara State at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Read more
Nnamdi Kanu not in Jerusalem, says Israeli govt (Vanguard)
The Israeli government, yesterday, said there was no evidence of the appearance of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Nnamdi Kanu in Israel. The Israeli government said the pictures and videos showing Nnamdi Kanu praying in Israel could be old. Speaking during an interaction with some African journalists in Jerusalem, the spokesman of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Mr Emmanuel Nashon said there was no evidence that the leader of IPoB was in their country of recent. Read more
APC post-primary crises: Amosun slams Tinubu, Osoba as anti-Oshiomhole protests spread (Punch)
The Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has attacked the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, and a former governor of the state, Aremo Segun Oshoba, over alleged complicity in electoral fraud in the state. Amosun accused the two party leaders of “conniving with a cabal in Lagos” to write a fake result which produced Dapo Abiodun as the party’s candidate for the 2019 governorship election. Read more
FG establishes National Gold Reserve Scheme, issues first gold refining licence (Vanguard)
The federal government had established a Federal Gold Reserve Scheme, in pursuance of its economic diversification programme. Disclosing this yesterday at the on-going National Economic Summit, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udoma Udoma, said the move was part of the implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) with a view to strengthening the nation’s macro-economy. Read more
Offa bank robbery: Kwara accuses police of blackmail (Nation)
Kwara State government said yesterday that the Police was being economical with the truth as regard the April robbery suspects in Offa. The police had reportedly blamed attorney-general and commissioner for Justice for delaying arraignment of the suspects. They said they had concluded investigations and sent the case file to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who directed that the file be sent to the state attorney-general. Read more
Nigerian varsities are short of teachers by 30% – Okebukola (Punch)
A former Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Universities Commission, Prof Peter Okebukola, has said that one of the challenges facing the Nigerian university system is a 30 per cent shortage of teachers. Okebukola said this while delivering a convocation lecture, themed ‘Private universities and the revitalisation of the Nigerian university system,’ at the AjayiCrowther University, Oyo in Oyo State. Read more
New tuberculosis drug on trial, cures 9 In 10 cases (Independent)
A new treatment for a drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis can cure more than 90 percent of sufferers, according to a trial hailed Monday as a “game changer” in the fight against the global killer. Doctors in Belarus — a country with one of the highest rates of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in the world — spent months treating patients with a new drug, bedaquiline, alongside other antibiotics. The results, seen exclusively by AFP, were startling: Of the 181 patients given the new drug, 168 were totally cured. Read more
Cameroon’s President Biya wins seventh term (BBC)
Cameroon’s President Paul Biya has won a seventh term in office in polls marred by low turnout and voter intimidation. Mr Biya, at 85 sub-Saharan Africa’s oldest leader, took 71.3% of the vote, according to official results. Opposition calls for a re-run of the presidential election were rejected by the Constitutional Council last week. Read more
Coalition Air Strike target Mosque used by ISIS in Syria (Independent)
An air strike by the US-led coalition fighting ISIS targeted a mosque in Syria last week because it was determined to be an insurgent “command-and-control centre”, the US said on Sunday. It denied that it had targeted civilians in the deadly raid in eastern Syria. The coalition said that while the law of war protects mosques, the use of the building as a headquarters by ISIS caused it to lose that protected status. It said a dozen fighters were killed. Read more
Enyimba gear up for RAJA battle (Vanguard)
Former Nigerian league champions Enyimba will welcome back injured duo of goalkeeper Theophilus Afelokhai and experienced defender Isiaka Oladuntoye when they face Moroccan side Raja Casablanca in their CAF Confederation Cup semi-final second leg tie tomorrow. Enyimba have a mountain to climb if they hope to reach next month’s final. They need to overturn the 0-1 deficit at the raucous Stadium in Casablanca, venue of Morocco’s 4-0 win over Nigeria in the CHAN final last Febuary. This semifinal second leg starts at 8pm Nigerian time. Read more
Omeruo: My injury not serious (Nation)
Kenneth Omeruo has told SCORENigeria he would be available for CD Leganes next La Liga game even though an injury forced him out of a 1-1 draw at Valencia at the weekend. The Chelsea loanee started the game at Valencia but was replaced in the 70th minute with Leganes still winning 1-0. “I got injured and I had to be replaced, but the injury is not serious, it was just a cramp and soon I will be back playing again,” central defender Omeruo assured. Read more
Ozil stars as Arsenal beat Leicester (BBC)
Mesut Ozil produced one of the best midfield displays in the Premier League this season as Arsenal beat Leicester to record a 10th successive win in all competitions. Ozil’s first-time finish for the equaliser, the pass that led to the second goal and his two flicks in the build-up to the third were the catalyst for a remarkable performance by the Gunners, who had been overwhelmed by Leicester in the opening 30 minutes. Read more
Ianni charged by FA for conduct as Mourinho escapes (Vanguard)
Chelsea coach Marco Ianni has been charged by the FA for his conduct against Manchester United on Saturday. United boss Jose Mourinho has been formally reminded of his responsibilities while both clubs have received similar official reminders in terms of the behaviour expected of their staff and players. Ianni celebrated in front of the away team bench at Stamford Bridge, following Ross Barkley’s 96th-minute equaliser. Read more
West Ham’s Yarmolenko out for 6 months after achilles surgery (Independent)
West Ham star Andriy Yarmolenko is set for six months on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on a damaged Achilles tendon. The Ukraine international, who signed from Borussia Dortmund in July, suffered the injury in Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League derby defeat to Tottenham and had an operation on Monday. Yarmolenko has scored two goals in nine league appearances for West Ham this season, having also sustained an Achilles injury last term with Dortmund. Read more
Mother, two babies, others die in auto crash (Punch)
A mother and her two babies, aged two and three, were among six passengers that died in an auto crash in Akwa Ibom State on Saturday. It was learnt that two passenger vehicles, a bus and a taxi cab, collided in the Ikot Ese end of the Afahaobong-Iwukem Road in the Etim Ekpo LGA. Medics, who attended to nine passengers that were injured at the Divine Love Hospital, Iwukem, said the six passengers died before they were brought to the hospital. Read more
Lagos pepper seller dies in police custody (Punch)
The family members of a Lagos trader, Mrs Basirat Akinmushire, have demanded an investigation into her death while in the custody of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, Lagos. They said the 54-year-old, who was arrested at a market on Isolo Housing Estate, Isolo, was hale and hearty until the police called to inform them that she had died. Read more
Security guards robbed boss for delaying salaries – Police (Punch)
Two security guards, Kingsley Asuquo, 19, and Isaac Edet, 18, who were arrested by the police in Lagos for allegedly robbing a lawyer, Prof Joseph Mbadugha, allegedly said they committed the offence over delay in their salaries. PUNCH Metro learnt that Mbadugha, who hired the guards from Strongcity Security Services, was allegedly attacked while working at his office on Johnvic Igbanogo Street, in the Lekki Phase 1 area of Lagos State. Read more